[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 18156-18157]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1900

 MIAMI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL'S VENTILATOR ASSISTED CHILDREN'S CENTER CAMP

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I am so pleased, so pleased, to 
recognize the Miami Children's Hospital's Ventilator Assisted 
Children's Center Camp and congratulate them on their 25th anniversary.
  This extraordinary camp serves children who depend upon medical 
technology to breathe. It gives them a chance to just be kids for a 
week.
  Founded in 1986 by Dr. Moises Simpser, the camp has grown from 
serving 50 to over 250. This one magical week is the work of hundreds 
of volunteers and a year's worth of planning and preparation. The VACC 
Camp is the first of its kind in the Nation, and families come from 
across the country to participate.
  For this 1 week every year, children who are usually all but confined 
to their hospital rooms and their homes can experience camp activities 
and a near-normal life. Packed with activities and field trips, this 
week is a week of firsts: First-time dancing, first-time bowling, 
first-time swimming. VACC Camp is not about what the campers cannot do; 
it's about what they can do.
  Through a partnership with Shake-A-Leg Miami, the camp even developed 
a special sailboat that campers can steer with their chins, regardless 
of how much medical equipment they require. Other field trips include 
cruising on Biscayne Bay, shopping at Bayside

[[Page 18157]]

Marketplace, a day at the beach, and lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. Often 
this is the one time a year that these children have a chance to go 
outside in the fresh air and feel the sunshine on their faces.
  At camp, volunteers make the week unique by putting on carnival 
nights and themed dance parties. But above all, the camp offers a 
chance to escape wheelchairs, medical tubes, and breathing equipment by 
going swimming. The process of getting each child into the pool takes 
over 20 minutes and five to six volunteers.
  VACC camp is unique for the opportunities that it provides to its 
campers and their families. Caring for a child who is dependent upon 
technology to breathe puts an incredible amount of pressure on even the 
strongest of families. Parents are responsible for intensive 24-hour 
care without a day off.
  Of all the difficulties of caring for a sick child, one of the most 
trying is social isolation. VACC Camp serves not just the kids but also 
their siblings and their parents. With programs like Parents' Dinner 
Out, this camp is a time to have fun and take a day off. What a luxury.
  VACC Camp is an opportunity for these children and their parents to 
see that they are not alone, to build a community and a support 
structure.
  Camp is a life-changing week for the families and the selfless 
volunteers who make it happen. Sponsored by Miami Children's Hospital 
and supported by hundreds of volunteers, VACC Camp is completely free 
for the families. The camp depends not only on the medical 
professionals who use their vacation days but also on its many teen 
volunteers. Local high school students interact with campers to make 
the week truly special and fun, and they leave the week with lifelong 
friendships. Camp is as much of a life-changing event for these high 
school students as it has been for the campers themselves.
  I am so appreciative, Madam Speaker, of the hard work and the 
countless volunteers who come together to make this camp a magical week 
year after year.
  To Dr. Simpser and everyone involved at the VACC Camp: You have 
touched the lives of so many families and helped so many become happier 
and healthier children. Happy 25th anniversary, VACC Camp, and keep up 
the good work.

                          ____________________